Computing Resources for PMP Students

Where to get help with technical questions about UW and CSE computing infrastructure.

  • General CSE technical questions? Visit the Support Web  (Hint: you're already soaking in it.) The support landing page features a FAQ (much more extensive than this one.)  You may also make support requests via email, web form, telephone(685-1224), or in person (Allen Center 260).
  • For PMP-specific technical help, contact:
  • For help with UW computing facilities such as MyUW and UW NetID, contact help@uw.edu

Information about computer accounts and credentials which PMP students will need.

There are three accounts and three corresponding sets of credentials which PMP students should be aware of:

  • UWNetID. This is managed by the central UW IT organization, and is used for access to campus-wide computing facilities such as MyUW, campus labs, protected areas in the UW web space (under www.washington.edu), and site licensed software To create a UWNetID, visit: http://www.washington.edu/computing/uwnetid/.
  • CSE Kerberos (commonly called CSEnetID).  This is account will be automatically created for you when you enroll, and your credentials will be delivered to you during orientation.  You will use these credentials to access  
    • Protected areas in the CSE web space (under www.cs.washington.edu).
    • CSE Linux systems via SSH.  Some courses will require that you use these systems.  Log in to:
      • attu.cs.washington.edu
    • Allen Center Wireless network (SSID: CSE-Local)
  • CSE Windows. This account will also be automatically created for you when you enroll.  This account will be used to log in to the domain CSEPCLAB when you are in one of the department's PC labs.  These labs are located in the basement of the Allen Center.  This account may also be used to log in remotely to departmental Windows virtual desktop infrastructure using a remote desktop client. 

Please note that these accounts use independent authentication domains.  This means that changing one password will have no effect on the other two.

You may set or reset passwords for your CSE accounts using the CSE Password Changer Tool


How to login to CSE Unix systems.

You will need to install a SSH 2 client (SSH1 and plain-text telnet will not work).   A decent Windows SSH 2 client called "PuTTY" is available here.

Once the software is installed, log in to attu.cs.washington.edu, and authenticate with your CSE Kerberos credentials.

To be allowed to connect, your host must have a registered name, and your ISP or DNS server must support reverse DNS. 

If you are having problems logging in, note that CSE Kerberos passwords that have not been changed from the initial value for a reasonably long period of time may expire.  If this happens you will need to use the web-based password changer tool to reset your password (https://weblogin.cs.washington.edu/kpasswd).  See this page of the CSE Support FAQ for more information: http://www.cs.washington.edu/lab/support/cantlogin.html


Information about mailboxes and mail forwarding.

There are two email addresses to be aware of:

  • <you>@cs.washington.edu  Note that your program advisor will be sending important mail to this address.  This address is created for you when you enroll.  Initially the address does not correspond to a mailbox, but it is used for mail forwarding only.  To change the forward address, send an email to support@cs.washington.edu indicating your CSE user name, and the address where you would like to read the mail.  The helpdesk staff will configure the mail forwarding for you. Additionally you may use CSE cloud services (see below) to redirect this address to a cloud provider.
  • <you>@uw.edu This is an email address that is created with your UWNetID.  Since the address exists, we recommend that you either check the mail periodically or configure forwarding, however your program advisor will not normally send you mail using this address.  Notice that the username part of this address corresponds to your UWNetID, so it may not be the same as your CSE user name. 

Important: Be sure to read the mail delivered to your cs.washington.edu address, since your advisor will send important program information there.

Cloud Services

The UW and the CSE department provide sets of cloud services from both Google and Microsoft in a way that is linked to the respective identity. The specific menu of services under each differs and is in flux, but common services such as email, calendaring and documents are available in all cases. These may be of interest to PMP students who for instance would like to have a mailbox dedicated to CSE or UW email, or who would like to share and collaborate on documents with other students. To learn more:

Descriptions of PMP-specific mailing lists.

  • cs-pmp   This is intended for general student discussions.  Membership is optional.  You may subscribe by sending mail to cs-pmp-request@cs.washington.edu, with the body of the message "subscribe".  The mail sent to this alias is also posted to a nntp news group (see next topic).
  • cs-pmp-mail Your cs.washington.edu mailbox is automatically subscribed to this list.  Your program advisor will use this list to distribute important program announcements. 

Access to UW library resources.

UW Libraries (http://www.lib.washington.edu) subscribe to a variety of on-line journals and databases.  Some may be restricted using host-based security.  To use these restricted resources from off-campus hosts you may want to sign up for a PIN which will permit you to use the library's proxy service.   To find out more, follow the 'Off-Campus Access' link in the upper right corner of the library pages, or go to http://offcampus.lib.washington.edu

More information is available at:   http://www.lib.washington.edu/help/connect.html and http://www.lib.washington.edu/help/ezhelp.html

You will need to login to the proxy service every time you want to access restricted materials from off-campus. The library offers a "bookmarklet" which will allow you to "jump" into the proxy without having to navigate our website. Information on the bookmarklet is available at http://www.lib.washington.edu/help/proxyTools.html

The library also offers very good technical support and help finding resources via links in their web pages.


The minimum steps which should be taken by new PMP students.

  1. Get a UW NetID. http://www.washington.edu/computing/uwnetid/
  2. Configure mail forwarding for the uw.edu address during this process.
  3. Change your CSE passwords. https://weblogin.cs.washington.edu/kpasswd
  4. Install a SSH 2 Client. PuTTY.
  5. Log in to a CSE Unix system.  See above.
  6. Log in to a CSE Windows system. Windows Virtual Lab Specify your username as CSEPCLAB\username

What to do in case of a lost password.

If you are having problems logging in, note that CSE Kerberos passwords that have not been changed from the initial value for a reasonably long period of time may expire.  If this happens you will need to use the web-based password changer tool to reset your password (https://weblogin.cs.washington.edu/ukpasswd).  See this page of the CSE Support FAQ for more information: http://www.cs.washington.edu/lab/support/cantlogin.html

If you do need to have a password reset by the support staff, and if it's not convenient for you to come to the department during business hours, contact your advisor at 206-543-1695.  Your advisor will need to fill out paperwork on your behalf, and coordinate the transmission of the new password to you.  Note that we don't typically use email for this transaction.  If it is convenient for you to come to campus, you may have your password reset without involving your advisor.   Request a password change form from the department's reception desk in the Allen Center, fill it out, and return it.  A day or two later, return to the reception desk, show your ID, and pick up the new password.


Please send comments, correction or updates to: Fred Videon

Last changed Wed, 2012-09-05 11:59